Washing-machine



(No Model.) v

S. B. 8v T. M. RALBY.

vWASHING MACHINE. i 190.589,194. Patented Aug. 31,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVESTER B. RALEY AND TIMOTHY M. RALEY, OF ABILENE, TEXAS.

WASHING-MACHINE...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 589,194, dated August 31, 1897. Application filed June 13, 1896. Serial No. 595,428. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom it may conceive.-

Beit known that we, SYLvEsTER B. RALEY and TIMOTHY M. RALEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Abilene, in the county of Taylor and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Washing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates Vto improvements in washing-machines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of Washing-machines and to provide one which will be simple and inexpensive in construction and capable of thoroughly and rapidly Washing clothes and other fabrics without Wearin g, tearing, or otheI'Wise injuring them and at the eXpenditu re of a minimum amount of labor. l The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of partshereinai' ter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.v

In-the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a Washing-machine constructed in accordance withthis invention. Fig 2 is a central longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of one of the clothessupports. Fig. 5 is a reverse plan view of the same. Fig. 6 isa detail perspective view of one`of the plungers.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

11 designate a pair of cylindrical boilers construct-ed of sheet metal or other suitable material, secured together at their contiguous sides and supported by horizontal braces 2, arranged adjacent to the upper ledges `of the boilers. The boilers are provided at their adjacent sides, a short distance above their bottoms, with registering openings, in which is secured a short tube 3, affording a communication between the boilers and permitting ywater during the operation of washing to pass from one cylinder into the other.

The clothes to be washed are held in each cylinder above the opening by a circular clothes support 5 to prevent the opening from becoming clogged and interfering with the operationpof the machine. Each clothessupport, which conforms to the configura-- tion'of its boiler, consists 'of a horizontal plate or diaphragm 6, provided at intervals with perfor-ations, depending supportingflanges 7 and 8, which rest upon the bottom of the boiler, andvertically-disposed concentric ribs or rings 9,mounted on the upper face of the perforated plate or diaphragm to support the clothes above the perforations thereof to preventthe same'from becoming clogged and forming stationary pounders which cooperate with movable plungers or pounders 12,l hereinafter described.

The depending flanges 7, which are located near the periphery of the horizontal plate or diaphragm, are curved and have their terminalsseparated and provide an open space or longitudinal passage 1l, whichf is located at the opening formed by the tube`3. The supporting-flange 8 is corrugated or crimped and is disposed longitudinally 'of the'washing-machine, extending diametrically across the perforated plate or diaphragm.-

. Duringthe' operation of Washing'the machine is placed upon a stove or other flh'eating apparatus to boil Water Within the cylinders, and Water is forced through the clothes alternately from one cylinder yinto the other by means of a 'pair of plungers 12." The plungers 12, which are provided With vertical stems 13, consist of conical shells and are provided with radial webs or flanges 14 to enable them to operate as clothes-pounders. The radial webs or ianges are centrally connected and aresecured at theirupper edges to the inner faces .of the conical shells, andtheir lower edges terminate short of the lower edges of the conical shell, .in order that the upwardly-extending rings 9, Which are of less diameter` than the base of the cone, may project into the latter on the downstroke of the plunger. I

The upper ends of the stems of the plungers are pivoted to the levers 15, which have their rear ends bifurcated and fulcrumed on arms or supports 16, mounted on the boilers at the rear sides thereof and extending vertically from the same,

Each boiler is provided with a cover 17, having a central opening 'for the passage of the stems, and the covers are conical to prevent water from splashingthrough the openings and to raise them in the center to permit a full stroke of the conical plungers.

The plungers are alternately operated and are adapted to force Water through the clothes from one boiler into the other, and by this operation the clothes and other fabrics may be rapidly and thoroughly washed without injuring them.

It will be seen that the washing-machine is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is capa-ble of easy operation, and that it is adapted to wash clothes rapidly and thoroughly Without injuring them. It will also be apparent that the clothes are supported above the bottoms of the boilers andl that they are prevented from clogging the perfor-ations of the diaphragms or plates and the openingr between the boilers.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any ot' the advantages of this invention.

Vhat We claim is- 1. In a washing-machine, the combination of a pair of separate boilers secured together and provided with a communicating opening, clothes-supports arranged within the boiler, provided with perforated horizontal plates and having upwardly-extending concentric rings mounted on and projecting from the upper faces of the plates, and the reciprocating plungers provided with conical shells and having radial flanges terminating short of the lower edges of the shell to permit the rings to project into the plungers, substantially as described.

2. In a Washing-machine, the combination with a plunger, of a clothes-support comprisin gV a horizontal plate provided with perforations, concentric rings mounted on the upper face ofv the plate and projecting therefrom, the depending supporting-anges secured to the edges of the plate conforming to the con figuration of the same and having their ends separated to provide opposite openings, and the diametrically-disposed supporting-fiange provided with crimps or corrngations and ar ranged in line With the said openings, substantially as described.

3. In a Washing-machine, the combination of a pair of separate boilers provided near their bottoms with a communicating opening, clothes-supports comprising a horizontal plate provided With perforations, concentric rings secured to and extending upward from the upper face of said plate, the depending marginal supporting-flanges secured to the edges of the plate and having theirends separated to provide opposite openin gs, oneof the openings being located opposite the comm unieatin g opening of the boilers, and the crimped or corrugated diametrically-arranged supporting-Harige secured to the plate andi ar'- ranged in line with the said openings, and the reciprocating plu-ngers having conical shells greater in diameter at the base than the concentric rings, said plungers being provided'within the shells with radial flanges terminating short of the lower edges of the shells to permit the rings to project into the same, substantiallyl as described- In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have heretoaiixed our signa-tures in the presence of two witnesses.

SYLVESTER B. RALEY. TIMOTHY M. RALEY.

Witnesses:

H. L. BENTLEY, W. A. FLINT. 

